How To Celebrate Diwali The Right Way Without Compromising The Fun

Diwali is just around the corner and you know how I know? The kids in my colony have started shooting their gun crackers. And I am this close to dragging the next one by his ear and making him plant a tree (while holding his twisted ear the whole time). But instead, I decided to write an article to reach out to more people than just the kids in my colony about how to celebrate Diwali more responsibly.

It’s one of those things that I really don’t understand about a festival which never started out being celebrated that way. Come on! Celebrate Diwali in a manner that is environment friendly and sustainable and educate others too. This is our responsibility as patriotic citizens of a modern India (Let us not make it inhabitable in a few years, remember, we have almost 1/5th the population of the entire world and our actions have a huge impact on the whole world.)

We, at CouponDunia, have resolved to have an effectively green Diwali that actually makes it a celebration for everyone. I would like to share with you some of the things we agreed upon so you can join in the new kind of festivities that is celebrated in a responsible manner yet retains the same old fun of the festival of lights!

Fireworks:

We, at CouponDunia, love our rockets, anars, chakris and phuljhadis so we decided to get eco-friendly, noiseless and 3D crackers from places like Sai Prasad Fireworks at Malad, Hi Tech agencies in Patiala, Poornima Fireworks & SFX in Jaipur and Fireworks Plaza. Yes! We love our fireworks enough to get them ordered from Jaipur and Patiala. You also get electrical firecrackers at many electrical stores. But some of us who are stubborn about the traditional ones, agreed to get them from Hitech crackers in Hyderabad, who plant a tree for every order. This year, trade the Sutli and Laxmi bombs for prettier fireworks that don’t burn holes in our ozone or eardrums.

Lights:

A house that is lit up in all its glory is always enchanting. I wouldn’t deny that looking at my house all covered in strings of lights every year fills my heart with an automatic warm glow. I could be transfixed for hours, staring at lights. But Diwali originally began with earthen lamps. Candles and diyas have a very different charm that the strings of light cannot thwart. You can try coloured paper lamp lanterns or the candle illuminated Lord Ganesha among many other options. They’re the ones good for the environment, too. If not, buy the ones made by an NGO like Muskaan or Diya Foundation. It could light up your home and theirs.

Colours:

Rangoli is such an essential part of Diwali that there are contests held for the most beautiful ones. It’s one of the small rituals I enjoy with my mom – sitting and making a Rangoli with her every morning, while Bismillah Khan’s shehnai plays in the background. If you are making a Rangoli too, make sure you give the dye and the artificial colours a miss. Natural, eco-friendly colours and flowers not only get points for being environment-friendly or biodegradable, but also make prettier Rangoli.

Mithai:

This festival of lights, get your mithai from NGO’s who make it or shops such as Suswaad Sweets and Savouries shop in Chennai that gives employment opportunities to differently abled people. This year, we agreed to make a few sweets at each of our homes and share them with the underprivileged, thus sweetening their festivities too. Try it, it will brighten up not only their Diwali but yours too.

Smile:

Nothing, absolutely nothing brightens up a room like a smile does. A colleague of ours is on vacation at one of the most scenic and peaceful regions of India, but her favourite part about it all is that everybody smiles at one another, there. You might not trust every passer-by most days of the year but Diwali is a great time to greet everyone you come across with that 1000 watt smile.

Shopping:

Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal Diwali sales are on, as are those of many other e-commerce sites. Shops have offers too. This year, shop a bit more maybe for your maid, the milkman, your dhobi, the laundry-boy, the kids in orphanages, for the differently abled people, and for the ones who cannot have their Diwali as bright as you. Their smiles will definitely be worth it.

Having a little heart and putting a bit of thought into everything is making a comeback. Sparing the environment some of the heartache we cause it and making festivals a reason to celebrate for people other than ourselves is in vogue big time. And it’s the season to spread joy. Make Diwali the festival of light that brings prosperity in the true sense of it, this year.